| The arrival of the English in Madras in 1640 paved way for the establishment of settlements, acquisition of territories and the evolution of a regular form of government. The Raja of Chandragiri empowered the English East India Company to govern Madras and mint money on the condition that the Company should pay him fifty per cent of the revenue and customs of the port. The agreement between the Raja and Francis Day was drawn upon a plate of gold, dated March 1, 1639 and it was preserved in Fort St. George until 1746.1 The first harbor was on a sand bank at the mouth of the Coovum river to provide a safe place for the ships and trade but with some of the natural advantages for defence. The first port was a small square, with a bastion at each corner for defence, containing the Company’s warehouses and offices lodged in huts outside. |